Map



Patented `lan. 19, 1926. l

UNITED STATES ArvxTENr OFFICE.

BENJAMIN A. DICKSON, F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

MAP.

Application led November 17, 1924. Serial No. 750,298.

A ,Shippers of commoditiesare frequently confronted with the problem ofdetermining which of two `shippingagencies is the more economical to employ 1nl shipping av given package or article. y g

Shipping charges depend upon the weight ofthe parcel to beshipped and fupon the distance between shipping points and destinations and possibly, upon otherV facts. Different shipping agencies employ different systems of charging; and as a result, it is in the vast majority of cases more economical .to ship by one agency parcels of certain Weights and by another agency parcels of other weights. The shipper, being desirous of saving expense, chooses, if possible, that shipping agency which will be most economical for the particular parcel or article he is shipping. It is the object of my invention to facilitate this choice.v`

I accomplish the above object by superimposing uponva mapcertain Ydata which will enable the shipper to choose them'ost economical shipping agency vto employ.

The accompanying drawing illustrates aform of my invention which is adapted vfor the use of' a shipper located in Chicago, by means of'which such shippercan be immediately informed as to which of the two shippingi agencies, parcel'post or express, is more economical to employ in shipping parcels of any given weight into or out of Chicago. A map embodying ,my invention may be of anyv convenient scale and may cover any desired amount of territory. Preferably, I employ maps showing the entire United States, a'fragment of such a map being illustrated in the accompanying drawing. Y, p Y l For the purpose of setting their rates, the express companies divide the country into blocks measuring one degree on each side. These blocks are numbered for purposes of identification, the numbering starting with block No. 100, arbitrarily located off the coast of 'Washingtom and running consecutively eastward. The block immediately under block No. 100 is numbered 200 ,s and the' blocks to the 'east of the block 200 are numbered consecutively. This system of numbers is carried out to embrace the entire territory of the United States. For convenience, I prefer to make it possible to identify the -number of anyv block on my map; and to this end, I show the block numbers foreach blockin ever tenth north and south column. On the rawin'g, vblock numbers are in the upper part of each numbered block. Thus the block in whichWilmin'gton, Delaware, is located is numbered v 1050. s The block north of this is numbered 950 and the one to the south is numbered 1150. The number of the block we st of Wilmington is 1049.

Express rates between any two given y blocks are determined from arbitrary scales fixed by ,the express companies, each scale showing the express'char e forfpackages of any weight. As each o my` maps 1s .de signed for the use ofy a shipper located at a particular base point-in this case in Chicago, (located in block number 838)?-1 can indicate in each block the express scalefrom which are determined charges on shipments parison to parcel post rates that express.

charges are less than parcel post charges on parcels of relatively large weight and greater than parcel post charges on parcels of relatively ysmall weight. With reference to any base point (Chicago in the map shown), there is-then a certain weight above which it is cheaper to kship by express and below which it is cheaper to ship by parcel post. In general, I can therefore indicate on my map the limiting weight for each block, above which weight itis cheaper to ship by express and below whichy it is cheaper to ship by parcel post. This limiting weight is, in mostv instances, indicated in the lower right-hand corner of each block. Thus, the figure 3l appearing in thelowerright-hand corner of the block in which Washington, D. C., is located indicates that parcels of less than Slpounds may be shipped from Chicago to Washington by parcel post at a Abetween such base. point and that block;

lower costL than they can'be shipped by er;- press; while parcels above 31 pounds in weight are more cheaply shipped by express between these two points.

If a shipper byparcel' post wishes to insure the shipment, the insurance charge will alter the limiting weight above which eX- press is cheaper and below whichparcelpost is cheaper. This limiting weight in the case ot insured parcel post' or course varieswith the amount ci insurance carried. Since the express companies liability is $50.00 without' ent-ra charge, I prefer to indicate on my map the limiting weights on packages insured to that value, then the liabilities of both agencies will be equal. Vlhis limitingl'weight on insured parcel post I have locatedv in most instances, in the lowerl lefthandcorner oit each block. Thus, the Figure 21 appearing in the lower left-hand corner of the block in which lalashington, D. C., is located indicates that parcels of less than 21 pounds may be shipped from Chicago to lVashington by insured parcel post at less cost than they can be shipped by express. Above 21 pounds, shipment by express is .more economical. Y

In certain cases, I find it advisable, in order to simplify the map and to avoid confusion, to place the numbers indicating` the limiting weights in positions other than those 'described above. rlhus, lines bounding the parcel post zones do not in all instances coincide with the lines bounding the express blocks, and in such cases I iind it convenient to vary the location or the figures indicating these limiting weights in those blocks which are cut by Zone boundary lilies. Thus, block number 1241 lies partly in Zone III and partly in Zone IV. For that part of block 1241 lyingin Zone III, the limiting weight up to which parcels may be shipped by parcel post more economically than by express is 7() pounds, whether the package is insured or not. I have indicated this by the number kappearing twice in the upper lett-hand corner of this bloclr. The number 11 in the lower left-hand corner of this block indicates that itor the remainder of the block 11 pounds is the limiting weight up to which insured parcel post is more economical than is express; and the .number 17 in the lower right-hand corner o't the block indicates that for that part olf the block lying in Zone IV 1'? pounds is the limiting weight up to which parcel post uninsured isV a cheaper shipping agency than is express. Where blocks are divided by zone boundary lines and two numbers appear one above thel other, the upper number indicates the limiting weight for insured parcel post Vand the lower number the limiting weight for uninsured parcel post; This precise arrangement of numbersis chosen because of itsuconvenience, and it does-not form any part of my invention. Another instance in whichI find it convenientto depart tro-m my usual method of placing the limiting weights in the lower corners of each block is illustratedon the map in Zone II. For all blocks in that zone, the limiting weight is 70 pounds, insured or uninsured, and I prefer, therefore, to indicate this fact with a legend to that effect, rather than to repeat the number 70 twice in each black.

To illustrate the application of my invention, let it be assumed that: a shipper in Chicago is shipping a paclragevt'o Richmond, Virginia, and desires' to know the most economical shipping agency to employ'. I-Ie is informed from my map that if he desires Til insurance onthe shipment it will be cheaper to ship by parcel post if the parcel weighs less than 46 pounds; it'more than 46g pounds, by express. It'- insurance is not desired, he may ship up to 50 pounds more economically by paneel post than he can by express. It" the limiting weights indicateV that' parcel post is the cheaper shipping*agency,4 the shipper calculates the shipping charges from the weight ot the parcel and the rate between Chicago and Richmond, Virginia, which latter city the map shows is in Zone IV. Should the map indicate that express is cheaper than parcel post,-the shipper is advised that the charges on the shipment will be determinedfrom express scale No. l5. Thus, my map not only serves to indicate the more' economical agency to employ, but also aids the shipper in determining the transportation charge on the shipment.

I have described my invention and its use as applied to a shipper located in Chicago. However, itis evident that my map is equally applicable tothe determination of economical shipping agencies to be employed tor shipments into Chicago, as the shipping charges between two, points will be the same' irrespective' oit which point is the destination: To talre advantage of this feature, a consignes located in Chicago can instruct a shipper to ship all parcels' under the limiting weight by parcel post and parcels over such weight by express. Since he gives in his shipping directions the limiting weight between the two services he can insure that his'shipment will be shipped by the more economical agency without the necessity of knowing theweightl of the shipment at the time his order is placed, and also he is enabled to charge back to the shipper excess charges resulting from` the shippersfailure to follow his instructions.

I claim as my invention 1. Ac map for determining the more economical'ot two shipping agenciesto be emi ployed in shipping parcels to or from a certain base point, said map being' divided into a plurality oit bloclrs and having-designa'- tions ineach blockA indicating; the limiting weight below which parcels ma be shipped at less cost by one agency than y the other.

2. A map divided into a plurality of blocks and having designations in each block indicating the limiting weight below which parcels may be shipped at less cost by parcel post than by express between such block and a certain base point.

3. A map as set forth in claim 2 with the addition in each block of the designation identifying the express scale by which is determined the shipping charges on shipments between such block and said base point. u

4. A map as set forth in claim 2 having boundary lines for the parcel post zones with reference to said base point.

5. A map as set forth in claim 2 having boundar lines for the parcel post Zones with re erence to said base point, and also having in each block a designation identifying the express scale by which is determined the shlpping charges on shipments between such block and said base point.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Indianapolis7 Indiana7 this 6th day of November, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and twenty four. y

BENJAMIN A. DIGKSON. 

